A LOVE AFFAIR THAT NEVER ENDED

                         A LOVE AFFAIR

I was never a proponent of love while in school; I firmly believed in my lustful desires and felt it was in my human right to placate their excesses irrespective of whoever became a victim in the process.

I gloated and boasted my conquest like an A in a 6 credit load course.

BASICALLY, I WAS JUST LIKE EVERY OTHER YOUNG TEENAGER IN CAMPUS…

At least I was like that until I met Osas

It wasn’t love at first sight, when I met her; she was just an unremarkable girl with pout lips and dreamy eyes. When she spoke, it was almost as if she had to summon every muscle in her body to aid in articulating each syllable.

Of course I found her frail and soft spoken nature a bit charming and her vulnerable demeanor endearing but that was all there was to it.

Then we had our first conversation and after that, she was all I could think about.

This was how it all started:

“Good evening MD Chika” she greeted with a shy smile in a low pitched voice

I stared at her in feigned surprise

“How did you get to know my name?” I asked

Of course I knew how, it wasn’t rocket science. Being the leader of my campus choir meant my name was somehow synonymous to showbiz as far as gospel music is concerned.

Her reply was a coy angling of her head and a cheeky “I’m cool like that”

I instantly liked her, the combo of serene demeanor and witty banter was just what I wanted in a lady.

We spoke for hours that day and I discovered for the first time how easy it was to have a conversation with a liberal soul. With her there were no facade, what you see is what you get, she had this gentle certainty about her that rocked my egocentric but uncertain boundaries.

I escorted her to the front of the famed female hostel in the University of Benin and for the first time in my three years of schooling, I felt comfortable talking to someone in that austere atmosphere.

From that day, we met every day and the magical thing about her was the fact that unlike other girls who play coy games of let’s see who calls first, she was defined in her relationship. It was obvious she liked me and for what reason whatsoever I had no idea. I BARELY LIKED MYSELF THEN…

But with each rendezvous, I found myself craving the solace of staring into her hazel dreamy eyes, admiring the pale gloss of her clean skin; measuring the precision in her gait and loving the way she made me feel good about me.

She made me feel like I was the one imparting her life, like I was some sort of hero; she even calls me her school dad publicly and was not ashamed to introduce me to her numerous friends.

HECK! EVEN I WAS ASHAMED OF MYSELF…

Then it happened!!!

Three months after our regular meeting, she fell very ill. I remember clearly how I held her close in my arms as the shuttle navigated the campus route towards the health center and when finally she laid on the bed grasping my hand I could take it no more.

Tears welled down uncontrollably from my eyes, I had never felt the way I felt that moment and it felt strange to me, I wanted to give her everything, I just wanted her to be happy and healthy, I wanted to see her smile again and I wanted to protect her from everything.

I withdrew my hands quickly from hers when the realization dawned on me.

I WAS IN LOVE WITH HER AND THERE WAS NOTHING I COULD DO ABOUT IT…